A 55-year-old man, Pehlu Khan, died two days after he was assaulted over suspicions of cow smuggling in Rajasthan.

A 55-year-old man, Pehlu Khan, died two days after he was assaulted over suspicions of cow smuggling in Rajasthan(File photo)

The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Rajasthan government on Friday nearly a week after a Muslim man was allegedly killed by cow protectors (gau rakshaks) over suspicion of transporting cows in Alwar.

The top court has sought the state’s reply on the matter within three weeks.

Last week, Pehlu Khan, 55, along with four others had gone to a weekly animal market in Jaipur to buy milch cows. They were attacked by a group of gau rakshaks on NH-8 while on the way back to their village, Nuh, in Haryana. The group -- suspected to be from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal -- alleged that the cattle were being smuggled for slaughter.

Khan succumbed to his injuries in Alwar’s Kailash Hospital two days later. The four other victims were discharged and allowed to return to Nuh.

Three persons were arrested on Wednesday for the assault.

The Supreme Court’s directive came on a petition filed by activist Tehseen Poonawalla seeking a ban on gau rakshaks and an investigation into all incidents of cow vigilantism in these states.